SO says NO…

Imagine this scenario. You don’t like your job. You show up day after day hoping things will better, but they never do. You would’ve quit ages ago if it wasn’t for your…SO, or significant other. Your SO doesn’t want you to quit. But why?

I can’t relate to this excuse personally. I don’t have a SO. Someday…maybe. But I’ve seen the above scenario play out.

This excuse may seem like your SO’s excuse, not your excuse, but you’d be wrong. You’re the one seemingly stuck at a thankless job, after all. As is the case for most of us, your SO is probably resistant to change, especially of this magnitude. Sure, you hate your job, but if you quit, what’s next? Will your SO have to get a job to support the family, or take on extra work? What will you do with your time while you’re unemployed? Your SO will have a ton of questions, and you better have answers.

This may go without saying, but don’t quit a job without telling your SO first. You and your SO are a team, and the team should know the play beforehand.

While you’re working, live beneath your means so you have a savings cushion in the event that you quit. If your job is so horrible that you quit without having another one lined up, have a plan. Tell your SO about the people you will contact, the networking events you’ll attend, and the companies you’ll target. Be clear on your value proposition to a company: the skills you have and how those skills benefit the company. This works if you want a full-time job, a consulting gig, or leads for a newly formed business. Get your SO on board with your plan.

I know a guy who was miserable at his job. I know because he complained EVERY DAY. He wouldn’t quit, though, because his SO told him not to. They needed the money. Her job didn’t pay enough to support the family. They lived in an expensive part of the country. And the list goes on. He messed up by not presenting her with a plan to get a better job. He simply took her excuses and made them his own. This whole situation could have potentially been avoided if he just convinced her of his plan.

Doesn’t your SO want you to be happy at the end of the day? After all, a dreadful work life rarely translates into a blissful home life. So just have a plan in place to address your SO’s concerns. Easy, right?